Machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe



Dec. 9, 1952 o. E. JERNER 2,620,634

MACHINE FOR FORMING THE LOWER SEGMENT OF IN PLACE CONCRETE PIPES Filed Feb. 27, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 o 'Q 1 9 N m O a: 2 k m ATTORNEYS Dec. 9, 1952 O. E. JERNER MACHINE FOR FORMING THE LOWER SEGMENT OF IN PLACE CONCRETE PIPES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1950 ATTOR NEYS Dec. 9, 1952 o. E. JERNER 2,520,634

MACHINE FOR FORMING THE LOWER SEGMENT OF IN PLACE CONCRETE PIPES Filed Feb. 27, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR Osca r E. Jez'n er ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES, PATENT- v OFFICE";

MACHINE FOR FORMING THE LOWER SEG- MENT F IN-PLAQE CONCRETE PIPE- 7 Oscar Jerner, Turlock, Calif. v

Application February 27, 1950, Serial No. 146,522

' 9 Claims. (01. apes) Thisinvention relates in general to the formation of concrete pipe in-place ina'pre-dug trench.

The primary object of the invention is to provvidea novel machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe; the machine being operative to form said lower segment as a continuous run. a a 4 a Another object of the invention is toprovide a machine, as above, which includes, in novel combination, a truck guided in the pre-dug trench, and a form for the lower segment of the pipe trailingthe truck; the truck having a rigid, rearwardly projecting, longitudinal pipe beam, and the form being rockably mounted on the pipebeam.,

., A further object of the invention is .to arrange the rockable form, in a manner such that an operator may stand at one point on the .form and rock it about the pipe-beam wherebyto work and smooth the concrete; the form being closed .on top and the concrete being poured thereover into the trench as the machine advances.

An additional object of theinvention is. to provide the truck with novel gauge and guide wheels; there being a vertically adjustable gauge wheel running in the bottom of the. pre-dug trench, and laterally adjustable guide wheels running on opposite sides of said trench.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a finishing form adapted to trail the rockable leading form; there beinga novel connection between said forms. 4

It is also an object of the invention to provide a machine, for forming the lower segment of infplace-pipe, which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture. Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

.In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine as in use.

Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the leading form which trails the truck.

.Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing the trailing form and the manner of its connection tothe leading form. J

2; Fig. 5 is a sectional planview of the truck showing primarily the mounting of thegauge and guide wheels. f

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the trucks gauge wheel as fitted with a skid for use in a soft bottom trench.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front end elevation of the gauge wheel and skid, as in Fig. 6.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the novel machine, for forming the lower segmentofiinplace concrete pipe, comprises a truck, indicated generally at I, which truck has a'rigidmain frame 2 supported from belowby a vertically adjustable gauge wheel 3. The gauge wheel} includes a spindle 4 which projects upwardly through a tubular mount '5, and such spindle: is vertically adjustable by means whichincludes an adjustment crank 6 above said tubular mount {5. Steering ofthe gauge wheel 3 is accomplished by means of a knuckle arm I which projects laterally from the yoke or fork8 which carries the gauge wheel 3. and a steering rod 9 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the knuckle arfn l, threading through a swivel nut l0 secured to an upstanding rear portion, II 0f the'ii'na'in frame 2. I v Rearwardly of .said frame portion l I the steering rod 9 is fitted with a crank l2. Bymanipulatin the crank 12 the operator can'readilyj's'et the direction of the gauge wheel 3.. I

A centrally disposed,longitudinal pipe-beam i3 projects rearwardly in rigid relation fromjthe main frame 2 of the truck l, and a boat like form, indicated generally at M, ismounted on the rearwardly projecting portion of the longitudinal pipe-beam I3 in draft relation'to' the truck I. The construction and mounting .of. the boat-like form 4 will hereinafter appearin detail.

The truck I is adapted to be advanced 'forwardly in guided relation in a predug trench it having a half-round bottom It, in thefollowing manner: At the front thereof the main frame! [supports a winch unit, indicated generally 'at' l1, driven through the medium of an endles 'sfbelt and pulley unit Hi from an engine l9 mounted on the rear portion of said frame 2. The endless the upper end of the portion ll of the frame. One leg of the bellcranl; lever 24 is extended upwardly and rearwardly some distance as a hand lever 2'5.

By manipulating the hand lever 25 the winch brake lever 22 is swung to a winch release position and simultaneously the belt tightener 20 causes the endless belt and pulley unit I8 to impart a drive from the engine [9 to the winch H. A cable 26 leads forwardly in the trench from the winch unit l1, and some distance ahead of the truck I such cable is anchored to a stake.

ment in=said trench. The side frames 21 each carry guards 3| to the rearof the guide wheels -.3,0.

The working height of the truck relative to the bottomof the trench is regulated by relative wertical .adjustment of the gauge wheel 3 by ,means'of the adjustment crank 6.

Under conditions where the bottom of the trench is soft, the gauge wheel 3 seats in a skid 32 .which is relatively wide and round-bottomed in matching relation to the half-round bottom of the trench. See Figs. 6 and 7. The skid .32 :not only prevents the gauge wheel 3 from digging into .thebottom of the trench, but also tends to .maintain its proper alinement in the trench.

The boat-like form [4 is shaped, in transverse section, symmetrical to the half-round bottom .ef the trench I6, but on a lesser radius whereby when the machine advancescin the trench, the lower half of said ,formlserves to shape the inner surface of the lower segment 33 of the formed in-place concrete pipe.

To the end that the boat-like form l4 be rockable about the rearwardly projecting pipebeam .ll3,.such form is formed, at opposite ends,

with hubs 34 and 35 through which said pipebeam turnably extends.

The pipe-beam l3-projects out of the rear end .of the form I 4, and a mounting collar 36 is secured on said projecting portion of the pipe- "beam by a cross pin 31; the mounting collar as supporting, in fixed relation, an upstanding cross plate 38.

This .cross plate 38 is formed, on opposite "sides, .with laterally projecting trowels 39 whose lower troweling edges 40 are adapted to smooth the upper edges of the half-round lower segment of the formed in-place concrete pipe.

Additionally, the cross plate 38 carries, at opposite ends, upstanding, rearwardly projecting side wings 4| which work into the lower segment of the formed pipe adjacent the upper edges, serving to stabilize and smooth the adjacent wall of concrete directly rearwardly of the lower .troweling edges 40.

The boat-like form 14 is fitted on top with .a hood .42 which is exteriorly convex transverse- .ly of saidform, and at the rear end of the latter the hood 42 is fitted with transversely spaced foot Platforms 43.

Another boat-like form 44, likewise half-round 1 being tension springs connecting between the adjacent ends of said forms I4 and 44 directly above the shafts 45 whereby to yieldably maintain the form 44 in trailing relation to the form 'When the .above described machine is in operation it is placed in the pre-dug trench l5,

1with'ithe forms l4 and 44 initially set upon a Drelaidbase of fresh concrete so as to establish the initial level. Thereafter, with slow advance .of the-machine by the truck, in the manner previously described, fresh concrete is poured over the. front portion .of thellood .43, spilling down- Wardlyabout ,theform and filling the entire space between the lower half of the same and the half-roundbottom I6 ofthe trench.

,The operator stands with his feet on thefoot platforms 43 so that 'he can readily rock the form l4 about the'pipebeam 13 as an axis, ,so as to assist in shaping and smoothing of the concrete whichis being formed-upon advance of the machine-into the lower segment 33 of the 'in-place concrete pipe.

' and controlof, the hand lever 25 and crank [2.

To prevent the fresh concrete, as it is 'being poured, from splashing into the apparatus on the main frame 2, the upstanding rear portion H of said frame carries a splashshield 48.

As the machine advances, the form l4 effectively shapes the lowersegment 33, the upper edges of said segment being troweled by the lower edges 40 of the trowels 39, and the lower portions of the rearwardly projecting side wings 4| smoothing the adjacent wall surfaces of the concrete.

While the leading form l4 effectively shapes the lower segment 33, the trailing form .44 .imparts a final finish to the inner wall surface thereof; such trailing form 44 rocking with the leading form [4 by reason of the described connection therebetween.

The machine is highly effective to form the lower segment 33 of in-placeconcrete pipe, with the operation a continuous one; the machine being readily one-man controlled.

After the lower segment of an in-place concrete pipe is formed, .in the bottomportion of a pre-dug trench, with the present machine, another machine follows and forms the upper seg ment of the pipe; such other machine being the subject of co-pending application, Serial No. 146,521, filed February 27, 1950, now Patent No. 2,574,213.

From the foregoing description it will lee-readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the object of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench ahead of the concrete, a longitudinal centrally disposed beam projecting rearwardly from and rigid with the truck, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, and means mounting the form on the beam for transverse rocking thereabout as an axis.

2. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench, a longitudinal beam projecting rearward- .ly from and rigid with the truck, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, the beam projecting through the form, means mounting the form on the beam for transverse rocking about the latter as an axis, a member fixed on the beam rearwardly of the form, and trowels on opposite sides of said member positioned to work the corresponding upper edges of said segment.

3. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench, a longitudinal beam projecting rearwardly from and rigid with the truck, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, the beam projecting through the form, means mounting the form on the beam for transverse rocking about the latter as an axis, a member fixed on the beam rearwardly of the form, trowels on opposite sides of said member positioned to work the upper edges of the segment, and upstanding rearwardly projecting side wings mounted on said member adjacent the trowels positioned to work the inner face of saidsegment adjacent said edges.

4. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench ahead of the concrete, a longitudinal centrally disposed beam projecting rearwardly from and rigid with the truck, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, means mounting the form on the beam for transverse rocking thereabout as an axis, and transversely spaced foot platforms on the form adjacent the top thereof.

5. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a power-operated truck adapted to travel in the trench, a longitudinal beam projecting rearwardly from and rigid with the truck, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, means mounting the form on the beam for transverse rocking thereabout as an axis, and transversely spaced foot platforms on the form adjacent the top thereof; the truck including control members manually accessible to an operator standing on said platforms.

6. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench, a boat-like round bottomed form rearwardly of the truck, means connecting the form in trailing relation to the truck and for transverse rocking about a longitudinal axis, and platform means on the form arranged whereby an operator standing on said platform means may so rock said form; there being another boatlike form trailing said first named form, and means connecting the trailing form to said first named form in draft relation and for transverse rocking thereby.

7. A structure, as in claim 6, in which said last named connecting means comprises, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinal shafts extending between adjacent ends of the forms, the shafts being fixed to the end of one form and slidably guided through the adjacent end of the other form, and longitudinally yieldable tie means between said adjacent ends of the forms.

8. A machine for forming the lower segment of iii-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck to ride on the concrete, and means connecting the form in trailing relation to the truck for vertical movement of the truck and form as a rigid unit; the latter including a front end vertically adjustable gauge and supporting member adapted to run on the bottom of the trench ahead of the concrete.

9. A machine for forming the lower segment of in-place concrete pipe in a pre-dug trench, comprising a truck adapted to travel in the trench, a boat-like form rearwardly of the truck, and means connecting the form in trailing relation to the truck; the latter including a steerable gauge wheel adapted to run on the bottom of the trench, a removable skid adapted to receive said gauge wheel, said skid being relatively wide and substantially symmetrical to the cross section of the bottom portion of the trench, and means to locate the skid on the wheel so that the skid may be steered with the wheel as a unit.

OSCAR E. JERNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,032,736 Briggs Mar. 3, 1936 2,176,891 Crom Oct. 24, 1939 2,539,063 Ekenstam Jan. 23, 1951 2,551,110 Fuller May 1, 1951 

